Benches Clear in Anaheim: Soler and López Trade Punches as MLB's Early Season Heats Up

Benches Clear in Anaheim: Soler and López Trade Punches as Tensions Boil Over The 2026 Major League Baseball season is barely two weeks old, but the drama is already in midseason form. On Tuesday night in Anaheim, the benches cleared during a heated matchup between the Los Angeles Angels and the Atlanta Braves, resulting in ejections for Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López after the two traded punches on the mound. The incident began in the fifth inning of what would eventually become a 7-2 Braves victory. Soler, the Angels' designated hitter, took exception when López threw a pitch up and in that sailed to the backstop. The context of the at-bat is what set the stage for the brawl: Soler had homered off López in the first inning and was hit by a 96-mph fastball in the third. According to Soler, he asked López if everything was okay after the high-and-tight pitch. "The answer he gave me, I didn't like it," Soler told reporters after the game. "That's why I went out there." Soler charged the mound, and the two 225-plus-pound players began throwing punches. Neither connected solidly, and remarkably, López was still holding the baseball in his throwing hand while attempting to punch Soler, knocking off the slugger's helmet in the process. Both dugouts and bullpens emptied immediately. Braves manager Walt Weiss tackled Soler to the ground to prevent further escalation, while Angels superstar Mike Trout restrained his former teammate, López. Both players were ejected and are expected to face suspensions from the league office. A History of Dominance The underlying tension likely stems from Soler's incredible career success against López. The two were briefly teammates in Atlanta during the second half of the 2024 season, but as opponents, Soler has owned the matchup. After his two-run homer in the first inning, Soler is now a career 14-for-23 against López, with five home runs and three doubles. "Obviously, I have good numbers against him," Soler said. "After the home run and getting hit by a pitch after that, and then he missed way too high and close to my head. At this level, you can't miss like that." López, for his part, maintained that there was no intent behind the pitches and called the entire situation a misunderstanding. Other Early Season Storylines While the brawl in Anaheim dominated the headlines, there are plenty of other early-season surprises across the league. In Chicago, Munetaka Murakami has been a revelation for the White Sox. After signing a two-year, $34 million deal this winter, the Japanese slugger has silenced his doubters by launching four home runs and posting an .892 OPS through his first 10 games. Meanwhile, the Miami Marlins are reaping the rewards of their offseason trade with the Cubs. Owen Caissie, acquired for Edward Cabrera, has hit two home runs with a .948 OPS in his first 31 plate appearances, including a walk-off blast that secured a season-opening sweep of the Rockies. On the mound, veteran left-hander Framber Valdez is proving to be one of the best free-agent signings of the winter. Valdez, who inked a three-year, $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers in February, has allowed just one earned run over his first 12 innings (0.75 ERA) while striking out 10 batters. Want to know who the AI is picking tonight? Get 6 free AI-powered picks with full transparency at MyBetAssist.com. --- Related reading: For more early-season MLB action, check out Jordan Walker's historic HR streak and our analysis of why the Dodgers are the most dangerous bet in baseball.